Device for draining pens.



Patentedfoct. I4, 1902,

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- P. D. HURTDN.

nEvlcE Fon nnAmmG PENS.

(Application led Fab. 27, 1902.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER D. HORTON, OF NEVARK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO ERNEST V. PEIRSON, OF NEWTARK, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR DRAINING PENS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 711,316, dated October 14, 1902. Application filed February 27,1902. Serial No. 95.953. (No :nudeln Y To (LZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER D. HORTON, of Newark, in the county of IVayne and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Draining Pens, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the ac companying drawings.

My invention is an article or device for use Io upon the table, counter, desk, or other article offurniture in an ofiice, bank, counting-room, library, or other place where writing with pen and ink is done.

The design in this invention is to provide a convenient receptacle for the pen each time after use and when smeared or loaded with ink, there being, as an essential part of the invention, an absorbent part to draw away the ink from the pen.

The invention comprises a diaphragm or floor saturated with water to receive the point of the pen, the whole being intended to take the place of the tumbler or vessel filled with shot, sand, or other absorbent in common use for the purpose.

The invention is hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Figure lis a plan of the diaphragm or floor. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, seen as indicated by arrow 2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a diametrical section on the line 3 3 in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a plan of the under face of the diaphragm. Fig. 5 shows the device as in use, parts being broken away and centrally longitudinally sectioned.

In the drawings, A is the diaphragm for draining the pen, the same constituting the essential feature of my invention. This diaphragm consists, preferably, of a thin circular disk a, of soft Wood, formed with a peripheral iange b, as shown, it being in the form of a shallow cup. The flange is divided by longitudinal slits or kerfs c, and the disk is formed with perforations CZ CZ, which may be of any desired size or number and anywhere placed. This diaphragm A is placed Within a suitable vessel B, as a deep glass tumbler, as shown, the flange b being downward, with space D below for containing water. When the diaphragm is pressed moderately downward within the tapering or conical tumbler, the iiange b, being compressible on account of the kerfs c, bends inward at its free edge, Vas shown, to conform to the taper of the tumbler. The diaphragm in a dry state is placed in the tumbler and water turned in, and when saturated it will slightly expand or swell and assume a crowning or convex form, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 3, the flange remaining flat or fairly against the inner surface of the tumbler. While the water in the space D touches the flange of the diaphragm the disk will generally remain saturated on account of capillary attraction; but should the water get low in the bottom of the tumbler the disk may be readily liushed by inclining the tumbler to allow the water to iiow through the holes d onto the upper side of the disk. A righting up of the tumbler again will cause the Water to low over the upper surface of the disk and inally flow back through the perforations and the kerfs c to the space beneath. p

The use of the device is clearly shown in Fig. 5. The pen C, dropped into the tumbler, will have its ink-.covered point in contact with the 'saturated surface of the disk, the ink quickly flowing from the pen and becoming rapidly diffused ther-cover. By the action of the moist disk the ink is not only drawn away from the pen, but the point of the latter is kept moist and in condition to readily take ink when the pen is again brought into use.

In constructing this diaphragm I do not confine myself to any particular material out of which to form it, though I prefer a soft porous wood, like basswood. Obviously the diaphragm may be made of other ibrous material, as felt, papier-mache, or india-rubber finely perforated to hold Water intersticially.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A device fordraining writing-pens, consisting, in combination with a vessel, as a tumbler, of a diaphragm eXpansible by moisture held Within the tumbler, with space beneath the VVdiaphragm for holding water,'subs`tan tially as shown and described.

2. A device for draining writing-pens, con- IOO space beneath the diaphragm, the latter being in the form of an inverted shallow cup having an expansible flange, substantially as shown and set forth.

4. A device for draining Writing-pens, consisting, in combination with a tumbler, of a diaphragm held Within the tumbler, the diaphragm having a downturned kerfed flange, and space beneath the diaphragm, substantially as shown and described.

5. A device for draining writing-pens, consisting, in combination with a vessel, as a tumbler, of a diaphragm held within the tumbler, with space beneath the diaphragm for holding water, the diaphragm being perforated, and having a downturned slitted ange, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A device for draining writing-pens, consisting in combination with a vessel, as a turnbler, of a diaphragm held Within the tumbler, with space beneath the diaphragm, the latter having a compressible flange, substantially as and for the purpose specified. y

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 17th day of February, 1902, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PETER D. HORTON.

Witnesses:

RAY W. MARBLE, J. V. FELLows. 

